Section B · Page 10 The University Daily Kansan Monday, January 24, 2000 Buffs riding streak into tonight's game By Matt Tait sports@kansan.com Kansan writerwriter It may seem a little early in the season to be avenging a Big 12 Conference loss, but that's exactly what the Colorado Buffaloes would like to do. A little more than two weeks ago the Colorado men's basketball team opened its Big 12 season with an 84-69 home loss to the Jayhawks. Tonight at 8:05 at Allen Fieldhouse, Colorado will try to even the score. Colorado, 11-6 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play, is riding a two-game winning streak and Kansas, 15-3 and 4-1, suffered its worst loss at Missouri in 22 years, 81-59, on Saturday. The two teams are seemingly at different points on the emotional spectrum, and Colorado coach Ricardo Patton is aware. "Kansas just lost a tough game on the road to Missouri, so we know that they'll be breathing fire when we get there," Patton said. Kansas freshman forward Nick Collison agreed. "Our guys just want to get out there and play after a game like this," he said of tonight's game with Colorado. The loss to Kansas in Boulder earlier this month was not exactly the way Patton had hoped to open conference play. In fact, that loss although hard-fought and closer than the score indicated — started a Colorado slide as it lost its next two conference games at Missouri and Iowa State. Colorado has since improved its play and started winning. Last Wednesday, behind the play of senior guard Jaquay Walls, who recorded 28 points and eight assists, the Buffaloes upset No. 16 Oklahoma at home 88-80. The win, Colorado's 10th of the season, was its first against a ranked opponent since 1997 when the Buffs beat Iowa State 70-45. Wednesday's game also marked Patton's first career victory against Oklahoma. Walls and the Buffaloes continued their winning ways this weekend at home against Kansas State. The undersized Wildcats entered the game with an 8-7 mark, and left at .500. Walls again proved to be the difference, scoring 32 points as the Buffs held off K-State 78-70. But Patton and the players were not entirely pleased with the victory. "It wasn't pretty, but we'll take it," Patton said. "We know what we were missing today that we'll need in Lawrence. Today's game teaches us how to win in close, grinding games." If history repeat itself, the lesson Colorado learned Saturday may come in handy tonight. Last year at Allen Fieldhouse, Colorado took Kansas to the wire, but lost 77-74 on a Jeff Boschie three-pointer with 6 seconds left. Walls was a major factor in that game, hitting 50 percent of his shots and finishing with 23 points in the near victory. In the Jan. 8 meeting, Kansas made it the game plan to stop Walls. And the team executed that plan. Walls finished the game with just nine points — all from the free-throw line. He missed all nine of his shots from the field. Both teams enter tonight's game with only one day of preparation, and neither team is excited. "We could probably use some practice, but our schedule doesn't allow us to. We'll have to come out and improve in all areas," Collison said. Colorado senior captain Will Smith said he realized the lack of time to prepare for Kansas would make it tough for his team — especially with the game being in Lawrence — but he was confident the Buffs would be ready. "We need to step it up and get focused in preparation for Kansas," he said. "We showed last year that we could play at Kansas. It's going to be tough, but we'll show our character and make it interesting." Above: The Missouri crowd shows its animosity for Kansas during Saturday's game. Tiger fans packed the Hearnes Center, setting a new attendance record of 14,098. Left: Lester Earl chases a rebound out of bounds during the first half as Missouri's Clarence Gilbert presses him. Earl played only two minutes in Saturday's loss. Photos by Jay Sheepard/KANSAN MEN'S STATS FINAL 1 2 TOTAL Kansas Jayhawks 10 12 56 Texas Tech Teaders 43 33 86 Kansez pts nst 1 ab 10 tgm/fga ftm-fa pf f min B Reves 12 pt 1 10 7fgm/fga ftm-fa 2 5 31 Pride 8 6 3 4 416 0 0 54 Johnson 12 6 1 14 313 0 0 34 Ianson 12 4 1 13 313 0 0 27 Jackson 9 1 4 3 48 1.2 1 35 Prutt 9 1 3 4 48 1.2 1 36 Scott 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 White 3 0 1 5 13 1.4 1 4 Geoffrey 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 Tatchet 0 0 0 1.4 0 0 0 5 Kanez 5 0 14 36.4* 10.5* 10 2 Percentages FG, 354, FT, 667, 3 Point Goals: 0, 3, 000 (Pride 0,1, Royman 0) Team rebounds: 0, 250 (Pride 0,1, Royman 0) Rebounds: 0, Pride 5, Johnson 3, B Reves 2, Royman 2, Scott 2, Prutt. White). Strains: 3 (B Reves, Jackson, Royman). **Texa Tech** Techs pts ats ast b reb nfg tfm-fa fta min 32 Johnson 21 ast 1 2 1 9/12 3/1 3 32 Dickerson 6 7 9 1 37 01 4 32 Pierson 17 8 9 1 718 31 4 32 Neal 10 5 3 5 1-15 00 3 39 Oneal 10 5 3 5 1-15 00 3 39 Pastner 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 Tarr 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Ellison 10 0 1 4 44 04 2 21 Hendrix 2 0 0 0 0 0 22 0 1 Nglek 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Zeck 76 24 33 31.61 31.61 1 200 Percentages: FG, 500; FT, 611; 3 Point Goals: 36, 5.0 Phi planes (36): Team rebounds: 1, Blocked shots: 4 Johnson, Dickerson, Pierson, Ellison, Turnovers: 13 (Dickerson, P 1, Pierson, Oneil, Ellison, Johnson) Phi planes): Steals: 12 (Oreal 3, Phi planes 3, Pierson 3, Dickerson 2, Ellison). Technical feats: None, A. 13,445, Officials; Sue Kennedy, Lincoln Webber, Bob Rodriguez. WOMEN'S STATS FINAL 1 2 TOTAL Kansas Jayhawks 26 33 59 Missouri tigers 27 44 89 pa tigers abt reb fgm-fgm fim-fta pf min2 Collison 8 4 7 1.6 2.2 2 pf 0.14 Bradford 4 4 6 1.2 2.5 3 3.17 Chenowith 6 4 6 1.2 2.5 3 3.17 Boscheth 10 4 6 1.8 2.3 3 2.85 Boscheth 15 1 5 7.12 1.4 2 2.85 Gooden 15 1 5 0.3 1.4 2 1.55 Eart 0 0 0 0.1 0.0 0 0.2 Nooner 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 1 Hinch 0 2 4 0.46 2.0 0 0.6 London 0 3 1 0.0 0.0 0 0.6 London 0 3 0 0.3 0.0 0 0.18 Johnson 7 0 2 3.5 1.1 0 1.28 Axtell 7 2 1 1.5 1.1 0 1.28 Pa tigers abt reb fgm-fgm fim-fta pf min2 % percentages, FG-368, FT 3, Point Goals: 3, 300 (Bosse 1,2, Gregory 1,8; Hinrich 1,4; atell 1,3). Team rebounds: 1. Blocked shots: 4; Alchen 1,3). Goodwin, Goodth, 1. Shots: 18 (Gold 4, B Bossee 3, Braftorf 3, Hinrich 3, Gregory 2, Attell, London). Sieves: 5 (Bossee 2, Bosse 2). Missouri pts aust neb tgm-fga ftm-fa pt fi min 19 Hafen 8 a 2 eb 4 6 4 6 0 1 5 Gilbert 27 4 1 10·18 01 1 4 1 4 Glencoe 17 1 1 6·9 01 1 4 3 4 Dooling 12 1 1 5·9 99 1 4 37 Griver 7 3 2 1·6 44 4 2 33 Kroenke 7 3 2 1·6 00 4 1 5 Parker 9 1 4 4·5 00 2 2 15 Gage 9 1 4 4·5 00 0 2 17 TOTALS 81 18 26 2953 1219 12 80 Percentages FG, 547 FG, 632 Points: 11, 12, 508 (Hater 0.1 Glibert 710. Dooling 24. Dooling 12. Dooling 12. Dooling 12. Dooling 12. Blocked shocks: 2 (Hater, Dooling), Turnovers: 14 (Dooling 7, Hater 2, Glibert, Grawer, Parker, Soyeue); Steals: 6 (Dooling, Gage, Grawer, Grawer, Parker); technical fouls: None. A: 14.098. Officials: Bob Sibov, DannyHooker, Winston Stich. © 1999 VarsityBooks.com Inc. We realize we don't have to waste your time explaining the virtues of the Internet. Let's just say that at VarsityBooks.com we've made the most of it. Not only can you save up to 40% on your textbooks, but you'll also receive them in just one to three business days. 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